


my way home is through you

by Diamondame, Melmoland



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Boys Kissing, M/M, Road Trips, boys touching boy's weenies, pharmaceutical testing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 16:48:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8675137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diamondame/pseuds/Diamondame, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melmoland/pseuds/Melmoland
Summary: Hongbin undergoes pharmaceutical testing to pay for college this weird guy knows what they didhe ends up on a road trip to find someone who can help





	1. who is this guy anyway

**Author's Note:**

> this is a story i had originally written for my comic book.  
> i didn't want it to just sit there in gdocs purgatory so i rewrote it with different characters.   
> i did leave a few characters from my comic book... like Ixtab  
> but i took out a few of the other characters.   
> i hope it turned out ok  
> comment and tell me what you liked or didn't  
> i like hearing from you

The lab technician pushed a button and Hongbin reclined slowly, listening to the mechanical whir and the sudden click of the chair going completely horizontal. He lifted his hand to look at the IV tubing sticking out of his wrist until the head researcher spoke to him.

“This procedure is going to be long, boring and a little painful, so we're going to put you under for a few hours, ok?” He explained.

Hongbin nodded slowly as he watched the technician who put the IV in his arm introduce a slightly bluish liquid with the saline solution.

He felt icy pain shoot up his arm before they put a mask over his face. His eyes drifted shut and he could hear the scientists babbling. It turned into a soft murmur in the background, drowned out by all the blips and bleeps of the machines he was hooked to.

“... Well within normal parameter-” the technician stopped speaking when there was a momentary spike in all of his readings. “Must have been a glitch or something.” He said, going back to monitoring Hongbin's life signs.

Nobody noticed. Hongbin was relieved. He stepped out of his body and decided to explore the building. He loved being able to step out of his body while people thought he was sleeping. He could be an awesome spy if he was so inclined, but at the moment he only used this ability when he was bored.

He was mildly curious about why the lab experiment he was involved in paid so well. The waiver never mentioned anything about it being a high risk experiment, but they had already paid off the entirety of his college career, including housing, plus a little extra on top for enjoying himself.

“How do we know it's working?” The technician asked.

“We wait and see if he's exhibiting the right symptoms.”

“Symptoms?” Hongbin said out loud, knowing that no one could hear him.

He continued out of the room and looked through the halls.

“Yeah, the test subject is going through the procedure as we speak. We'll have to see if he exhibits the same traits as Sigma, then we figure out how it works.”

Hongbin frowned as he watched the man twirl the cord to the LAN phone he was talking on as he talked to someone with a haughty grin.

“Yeah, sure it’s ethical... as long as nobody finds out. He'll never know. He thinks he's in for pharmaceutical testing... then again the last five thought so too and look where that got em... heh heh heh. But this one exhibited the same traits as Sigma, so I think he’s a carrier of the Eien virus too.”

Hongbin backed out of the room with a frown on his face “Virus? Those bastards, I knew the money was too good. Oh gods, I don't want to die.” He leaned heavily against the wall with his face in his hands for a moment.

“I'm sure you'll be fine.” An unfamiliar voice whispered at him and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Carriers can survive just about anything… except maybe a nuclear bomb” The man attached to the voice momentarily looked sad, but it passed as quickly as it came.

Hongbin shrieked. Nobody was supposed to be able to see or touch him and here was this guy with a weird sort of Mohawk in red skinny jeans and a shirt with the sleeves cut off resting his hand on his shoulder.

“You can see me?” Hongbin asked incredulously.

“Yeah,” He drawled, “You're standing out in the open.” Hongbin frowned at him. “Weird that you can pass through solid objects like that though. I can't.”

“You shouldn't be able to see me. How can you see me?” He sounded like he was on the border of frantic.

“Because you're totally just standing there do I have to spell it out for you?” He sounded exasperated.

“You don't look like you belong here either.” Hongbin got a better look at his clothes.

“Yeah, I'm looking for someone... at least he was supposed to be here. Was last time …” He was comparing something on his phone with a number plaque on the wall.

“Look, I gotta go. I gotta figure out what the hell they're doing to-” He threw a hand over Hongbin's mouth and carried him to a dark corner.  
“Shh” He whispered, looking over Hongbin's shoulder, around a corner.

He pushed Hongbin behind himself.

“What the hell? Who are you?” Hongbin shouted.

“Shut up,” He whispered, “They're going to find us.”

“Who's going to find you?” A voice from behind them whispered conspiratorially.

“Security is gonna find me and I'm rather proud of getting this far in without-” His eyes opened wide in sudden realization. “Um… Hi.” He said to the large security guard before running in the opposite direction Hongbin needed to go.

The guard stopped to look in the dark corner where Hongbin was hiding. He looked directly at Hongbin, but didn't see him. He ran off after the intruder.

Hongbin quickly walked in the opposite direction.  
“Well, that was an adventure. Let's see what other info I can find.” He looked behind himself, suddenly feeling guilty, “Shame I never got to ask his name.”

A few days later, Hongbin sat in the study lounge in the library. He was staring at the screen, scanning for information on anything and everything from that day so intently that it didn't even register that someone had sat down next to him and started talking.

“So... what are you going to do now that finals are over?” He asked. Hongbin didn't reply. He scrolled down and wrote a note on a pad of paper. He poked Hongbin's cheek “Hey"

“Huh?” Hongbin's head snapped toward him.

“You seem a bit preoccupied, you meet someone special?” He asked.

“Nah… Just doing a little research.” His eyes drifted back toward the screen.

“No harm in getting ahead, I guess.” He said, leaving Hongbin to whatever he was doing.

The brunet scrolled through information that was doing him no good. He sighed, but kept looking. Hoping he would see something useful when a rather large stack of official looking documents landed loudly on the desk next to him. Hongbin jumped out of his seat with a shout, his legs starting to wobble beneath him with how quickly he got up.

“You go to school here?” Hongbin asked, surprised to see the strange man again.

“No. Why? Should I? I was thinking of maybe going back to school, but what would I study?”

“How did you get into the library? You need a student ID to get in.” Hongbin ignored his rambling.

“I guess they didn't notice. I'm good at getting in and out of most places without people seeing me.”

“How did you get away from that guard?” Hongbin asked.

“Aren't you going to look at the documents I've smuggled out for you?” He asked as he absently toyed with a hole in his vest that looked suspiciously as if a bullet had gone through it.

“These are highly classified documents." Hongbin looked at him skeptically.

“Bing Bing Bing! Someone give Hongbin a prize!” He threw his arms in the air.

“How did you know my name?... And where to find me?” Hongbin frowned.

“And he bypasses the fact that I'm breaking no less than seventeen federal laws and dragging him neck deep into a conspiracy.” He grumbled as if it was an affront to everything he did. “They said Hongbin when they were trying to wake you up. I heard it while I was trying to sneak out through the air ducts. You're the only Hongbin involved in this experiment.” He explained. “I used to know a Lee Hongbin a long long time ago. Maybe you're related.” He digressed.

“There hadn't been a Hongbin in my family for at least a few generations. Must be some other family.” Hongbin tried to explain.

“Like I said, a long time ago.”

“...Right.” Hongbin had no idea why he was still listening to this nut. “Aren't these guys going to be looking for you?” Hongbin asked, absently flipping through the papers, finding more information than he had ever thought to ask for.

“Nah, doubt they can remember what I look like. I'm surprised you do.”

“I'm good with faces.” He said. Hongbin flipped through the papers, but he was trying to clear his throat, occasionally tugging at his collar as if it were too tight.

“Thirsty?” He asked Hongbin.

“Yeah, actually.” Hongbin's face was suddenly turned so he could pry his eyes open. “What are you doing?” Hongbin flapped his arms at the other man.

He opened the stack of papers to a specific page.  
“Read"

“Successful experiment… bla bla bla expect hyper dilated pupils, lowered serotonin levels, craving for magnesium rich foods. I don't-” Hongbin started coughing. It felt as if his throat wanted to close up on him. “What are they doing to me?” He drank some water. It didn't help much.

“They want to make you like this guy, Sigma, the one I've been looking for.” He pointed at another page.

“It says Sigma is like 500 years old. He must be like some withered old mountain hermit or something.”

“Wouldn't say that.” He stared at the back of the stack of papers.

“Like you've seen him before.” Hongbin scoffed.

“Mhm” he said absently.

“Maybe he can help, I mean he's-” Hongbin started coughing again. It was so bad he almost inhaled the water he was trying to drink.

Jaehwan quickly threw everything into Hongbin's backpack and ushered him out of the library to sit in the fading sunlight. He opened a can of vegetable juice and handed it to Hongbin.

He gulped down almost the entire can in one long draw.

He handed Hongbin a can of almonds.  
“Eat these slowly.” He said.

“Almonds? Why almonds? My throat is fucking dry enough.”

“You need the magnesium.” He said simply.

“You have to come with me. Sigma has answers and it's my job to keep him safe.”

“Bang up job you're doing there.” Hongbin replied.

“Come with me. You're not safe either. Not if you're exhibiting the symptoms already.” he insisted.

“Go with you where?”

“They relocated him to Nevada, I don't want to go alone, and he can help you.”

“You honestly think I'd, in my right mind, run off to Nevada with some cat burglar that dresses like Ken from Street Fighter? I mean I still don't even know your Fucking name.”

“Ken… that's a great name! Thanks! I'm Ken.” He grinned almost as if he was thankful.

“...Right.” Hongbin sighed. He obviously wasn't getting through to this guy.

“You have to come, I'll get you tomorrow.” He grinned before skipping a few feet away.

“But, I haven't agreed to anything.” Hongbin said with a bewildered look on his face.

“Let me put it this way, You're a successful experiment. If you stay here, they're going to dissect you. You won't like that. Trust me, you should come with me. We can take down this company and get your answers from Sigma.”


	2. on y va

The next day, Hongbin's roommate, Chansik opened the door to a strange man holding a six pack of beer and the biggest Pororo doll he had ever seen.  
“You must be Chansik.” Ken grinned as he walked in, handing the beer and the doll to the younger man.  
“Who… are you?” Chansik asked, cuddling the doll.  
“I'm Ken. Hongbin named me!” He grinned, “Is he home?” Ken asked, “We're supposed to head out on a road trip soon.”  
“Uh… I think he's in the shower.” Chansik said, “Want some tea?” He asked.  
“That would be lovely.” Ken smiled.

Hongbin walked down the stairs in a towel while drying his hair with another one.  
“Binie, why didn't you tell me you had a boyfriend?” Chansik asked with a tiny bit of hurt in his voice.  
“What?” Hongbin abruptly stopped scrubbing at his head to look up at his roommate. He saw Ken set his mug of tea down and stand up. To Chansik it looked as if he was going to give Hongbin a hug. He looked so happy to see the younger man.  
Hongbin charged at Ken and pinned him to the wall so abruptly that he didn't notice Ken's hands on his hips right away.  
“How did you find my house?” Hongbin snarled.  
“Your address is in the papers, my adorable bunny.” He said the last part loud enough for his roommate to hear. Ken hadn't noticed that he was rubbing tiny circles in the younger man's hips with his thumbs until Hongbin made a tiny noise in his throat. The older man loosened his grip, but didn't let go altogether.  
“I took the liberty of packing you some clothes for your road trip.” Chansik said, pointing at a bag by the door.  
“Thanks" Hongbin growled, continuing to glare at Ken.  
“You should get dressed s-so I'm not tempted to ravish you in front of your charming roommate, ducky… er bunny…” Ken was trying desperately to maintain eye contact. It wasn't his job to take advantage of Hongbin. It was his job to keep him safe. Whether Hongbin knew it or not.

“Don't keep him waiting. Unless you want to go straight to a motel. I made sure you had plenty of protection and lube by the way.” Chansik gave an exaggerated wink.  
“I hate you.” Hongbin grumbled as he walked upstairs. The other two looked at each other and started giggling.  
Once Hongbin had closed his door, he leaned against it and took a deep breath.  
“What the hell is this guy?”

Hongbin finally came downstairs and Chansik was playing mother hen.  
“Do you have your charger? Don't get pregnant. I'm not ready to be a grandmother.”  
“Seriously, shut up now if you know what's good for you.” Hongbin said just before Ken carried him out the door with his bag on the opposite shoulder he had thrown Hongbin over.  
He sat the brunet on the trunk and stood between his legs.  
“Look. I know this whole thing is going to seem awkward, but I want to keep you safe. In order to do that, I need you to play along whenever I tell you to.” He leaned forward, causing Hongbin to lean back in order to maintain what little distance was between them. “I'm going to need you to trust me. Don't forget that. Always.” His expression was more serious than Hongbin had ever seen.  
Hongbin nodded warily, a little scared of Ken at the moment.  
“Let's go then!” Ken beamed, pulling him to his feet and grabbing his bag, throwing it in the back seat and unlocking the door for Hongbin.  
“We should stop by the bank and grab some money.” Hongbin said a few hours later.

Back home, Chansik answered the door. There were two large men in suits asking for Hongbin. “You just missed him actually. They just left on a road trip.” He told them.

Hongbin was standing at the ATM. Ken was wondering what was taking so long.  
“It took my card and won't give it back.” He pouted in consternation.  
“I can get it back. Go sit in the car.” Ken said.

A few minutes later, Ken hopped into the car, dropping a metal box into Hongbin's lap.  
“Where's my card?” He asked.  
“It's in there. I'll get it for you when we stop for the night.” Hongbin looked horrified at the piece of machinery in his hand.  
“How are we going to get to Nevada when I only have $8.72?”  
“Remember how I told you to trust me?”  
“This can't be good.” Hongbin groaned with his face in his hands.  
“Just trust me. Next place we go, just grab a bunch of stuff you think we'll need and go to the register. I'll take care of the rest.”

Ken let Hongbin off in front of the market and pulled the car off to the side. Hongbin grabbed almonds and energy drinks, road snacks and instant foods then brought them to the register. Just as the attendant rang up the last item Hongbin squeaked when an arm snaked around his neck.  
“Keep ringing it up and open the drawer or I cut this pretty little thing up so bad you won't recognise him.” He licked Hongbin's neck before putting a very sharp looking knife to his throat.  
“Please don't hurt him.” The attendant said urgently.  
“Put the money from the register in one of the bags and give it to him” Ken growled.  
The terrified man did as he was told. “Take the bag, pretty thing.” Ken said softly into Hongbin's ear. The attendant could see tears beginning to well in Hongbin's eyes.  
“Call the cops and I kill him. Got that? His blood will be on your hands.” He shouted. The attendant nodded rapidly. “Now be a good boy and sit on the floor until I've gone.” The attendant did as he was told and Ken ran with Hongbin into the car.  
Ten minutes of driving and the shock finally wore off. Hongbin punched Ken's arm and they veered off the road.  
“You licked me.” He shouted as the car came to a stop.  
“Had to make it look convincing.” He said, turning off the car.  
“I'm going to have a criminal record because of you!” Hongbin whined.  
“Not if we're not caught.” He said. A police car came to a stop right behind them. Hongbin squeaked as Ken lunged at him, sealing their lips together. There was a tap on the passenger window and Ken tried to look up, but Hongbin pulled him down for another kiss.  
The tapping became more insistent and Ken tapped at Hongbin's shoulder to get him to let go.  
Ken lifted his head and rolled down the window. “Is there a problem, sir?”  
“May I ask what you two are doing on the side of the highway?”  
“I asked my honey bunny to marry me and he said yes. I was so happy I had to kiss him.” There was that grin again.  
“How… sweet.” The cop said. He turned away momentarily before turning back to them. “You best be careful, there's a sicko taking hostages and cutting them up.”  
“We will, sir.” Ken said brightly. The cop drove away and Ken sighed. “Misdirection takes up so much energy.” He whispered against Hongbin's shoulder. He went to push up and get back in the driver's seat, but Hongbin pulled him down for one more kiss.  
“Uh… Sorry. I don’t know why I did that…” Hongbin mumbled awkwardly.  
Ken started driving again and turned on the radio in an attempt to combat the awkward silence.

They pulled into a motel and checked into a budget room. Hongbin seemingly fell asleep right away, but Ken stared at the ceiling for a few hours. It took a few moments to realize there was the noise of someone trying to get into their hotel room. By the time they had broken into the room, Hongbin was starting to wake up… in the car… already miles away from the motel.  
“Weren't we just in a motel?” Hongbin asked groggily.  
“They found us. I had to jump out the bathroom window with you and run. Did you tell Chansik which way we were going?”  
“Uh yeah. He would have freaked out and called my mother to find us if I hadn't.”  
Ken abruptly pulled off the highway at the next exit and got onto another highway heading south.  
“What are you doing? We have to go West.”  
“You gave them a way to trap us.” Ken explained.  
“...Oh. Then where are we going?”  
“We're taking the scenic route, obviously.” He pointed at a sign that said scenic route.  
“So… you have no idea where you're going.”  
“I know exactly where we're going, might take us a while. Sometimes they don't want to be found.” Ken said.  
“So basically like saying you don't know where we're going.” Hongbin teased.  
“Shut up.”


	3. new old friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This might be a little confusing  
> But if you remember a few simple things like  
> 1\. They know Hongbin, but Hongbin doesn't know them yet  
> 2\. Hongbin, even in real life, is a really cool go with the flow kinda guy.   
> E. He's not sure why, but it feels like home.
> 
> I'll try to clear up the questions if you have any more  
> Leave em in the comments

They drove south for two days until they took a nondescript exit that only said LAST.  
“There're exits after this. Why does it say last?”  
“It's actually supposed to say L-U-S-T Louisiana University Summit Tech.”  
“More universities…” Hongbin grumbled.  
“No. It's just in a college town.”  
Hongbin stayed quiet and looked out the window. He wasn't an expert in plants in any way, but none of the trees they passed looked like they belonged in the area.   
He must have fallen asleep or zoned out completely because when he opened his eyes, he was in a place with weather completely wrong for the south during summer.   
“Where are we?” Hongbin asked groggily.  
“Almost there. We just got into Summit.” Ken said softly almost like he didn't want to ruin the serene atmosphere.  
“Where's there?”  
“Here.” Ken drove across a stone bridge and up a windy driveway stopping beneath an overhang. Before Hongbin could say anything about never being able to afford a night in this place, a pair of twins opened the doors and chimed “Welcome to Hilltop Hotel.”  
“Your home away from- Oh. It's you.” The one by Ken said.  
“Am I expected?” Ken asked.  
“Only always.” The other one said.   
Before Hongbin could grab his overnight bag, a long pale arm reached into the car and grabbed it for him. Hongbin followed the arm up to see that the person who grabbed his bag didn't look like an employee.  
“Hey, Hongbin. We have your usual room set up…” He squinted at Hongbin, who would probably look more confused if he wasn't so tired, before speaking again, “We have a room set up for you and your friend if you would just follow me to the check in desk.” If the atmosphere wasn't awkward before, it was now. He let Hongbin go ahead to the check in desk that was in the middle of a large hexagonal lobby.   
The clerk looked up to greet them and froze. His shock melted away to an almost contagious smile of pure sunshine before he jumped over the desk and threw himself at Hongbin with an excited screech.  
“Kongs Kongs" He sang happily, “We missed you!”  
“Apparently… The guy who grabbed my bag said you had a room for Ken and me?”  
This desk attendant squinted at Hongbin much the same way the previous guy looked at him. Hongbin looked over his shoulder to see if Ken was as uncomfortable, but Ken was talking to the guy who still had his bag as if nothing was wrong. 

“He calls me Ken… something about street fighter.”  
The dark haired man giggled, bowing his face to the floor when he could no longer contain his laughter.

“Anyway. Let's get you to your room. I'll tell you when the spa is open and we can go get massages. Doesn't that sound lovely?” The clerk, whose name tag said Hakyeon, asked.  
“Boy does it ever.” Hongbin replied.  
“Woonie, give me his bag.” Ken walked over with the dark haired man and held out the bag for Hakyeon to take.  
“Ken needs some information. I'll go with him to talk to Chanyeol and we'll be back up in time for dinner.” Hongbin and Hakyeon nodded.

Hakyeon and Hongbin walked to one of the north wings of the hotel that branched off of the lobby and headed down the left hall.  
Hongbin trailed behind Hakyeon and stared down the hall on the right. It was as brightly lit as the hall on the left but it felt to Hongbin as if it was dark and gloomy. He couldn't tear his eyes from it.  
“Draws you in if you look too long.” Hakyeon said softly. It sounded like he was talking through muffled static.   
“Hmm?” Hongbin sounded a million miles away even to himself.  
“You don't need to go that way, sweetheart.” Hakyeon said, stepping in front of Hongbin before pulling him down the correct hall.  
“What was wrong with that hall?” Hongbin asked, “The pull was almost magnetic.”  
“That just proves how special you are, Kongs. Most people would feel the urge to walk away. Maybe they'd get close and suddenly have to pee or remember they left the iron on. It does the opposite for you.”  
“Why me?”  
“I suspect that may be why you're on this trip.”

They got to Hongbin's room and Hakyeon said “Change into something comfortable, you won't be wearing it for long.” Hongbin took his bag and opened it. Instantly cringing at the smell.  
“Is there a laundry service?”  
“There it's but I wouldn't use it if you like your clothes. Maybe there's something in one of the drawers. Then I'll take you to the laundry room on the way to the spa.”  
“Uh right…” He opened a drawer and there were some nicely folded sweatpants with his initials on one of the legs. The next drawer down had t-shirts his size. “We're you expecting me?” Hongbin asked.   
“Nope. But we always have them set aside for you and J- Ken.”  
Hongbin went to the bathroom and quickly changed into the clean clothes before following Hakyeon out of the room.  
They walked into the laundry room and Hongbin stopped dead in his tracks half way into the room. He had dropped his laundry and stared, frozen at the body that was hanging from the piping above the machines.  
“Ixtab,” Hakyeon sighed in exasperation, “What if one of our paying customers saw you like this?” He had his hands balled up on his hips and he was tapping his foot in irritation.  
“Sorry, Yeonnie. I wasn't expecting anyone to come in while I was taking a nap. You want me to do your laundry, Hongbin?” Hongbin was still staring at the blue faced woman as she loosened the knot around her neck and fell to the floor in a tangled heap.  
Hongbin screamed. Then he corrected himself. “I- I can do it myself!” He shrieked, gathering up his belongings before the mangled, corpse like woman could touch them.  
“Here you go, Kongs.” Hakyeon said, completely unfazed and holding the door to a machine open. Hongbin walked as far away from Ixtab as he could in the small room and threw his clothes in. Hakyeon tossed a scoop of detergent in and pulled Hongbin out of the room.  
“Goodness, Kongs, it's like you have gravel in your shoulders.” Hakyeon exclaimed as he pulled the younger man to the spa.  
“I just watched as a corpse took herself down from where she killed herself.” Hongbin shrieked, “Yeah, I'm gonna be a little tense.”

Meanwhile, in a sub sub basement, Ken and Taekwoon we're leaning over Chanyeol’s shoulder, looking at the screen  
“So what you thought was a ‘Your princess is in another castle’ scenario is more of a ‘You've been tricked into thinking that your princess is in another castle, when he's been in Nevada this whole time’ kinda thing.”  
“So I should just go in there, guns blazing?” Ken asked.  
“You're best at sneaking into places undetected. Try that.” Taekwoon replied.

 

In the spa, Hongbin was on his stomach, covered with a towel, there was currently a burly man putting all of his weight into the elbow that was digging into a muscle under his right shoulder blade.   
“Even after soaking in the hot water he's having trouble with the muscles in your back.” Hakyeon groaned when the masseuse made something in his back pop.  
“CORPSE! in the laundry room.” Hongbin answered as the man twisted him like a pretzel.  
“Sweetheart, you need to loosen up. After this we're going for drinks at limbo.”  
“Limbo?” Hongbin groaned when something he was sure was vital cracked.  
“I'm sure the boys will understand if we're late.”

A short while later, Hakyeon had managed to peel the pile of goo that was once Hongbin off of the floor and dragged him across the lobby. There was a large pair of double doors and a velvet rope across them.  
The tough looking bouncer was turning people who weren't dressed correctly away and Hongbin looked down at his comfortable sweats.  
It was then that he realised how high class this hotel was.   
“Ravi Ravi Ravi Ravi.” Hakyeon chanted excitedly.  
“Hyung… is that-”  
“The one and many Hongbin.” Hakyeon grinned at his own joke.  
“Binie! It's been too long.” The tough looking bouncer picked him up and spun him before talking into his earpiece. “You're gonna be super excited to see who's here!” Ravi gestured to the door indicating that they should go in.   
They went in and there was a shrill scream from the bar before Hongbin was barreled over by a blond giant.   
“Hyung! I'll be right back with your drink!”  
Hakyeon picked Hongbin off of the floor and they walked to the bar while the bartender shook a bottle of makgeoli before bonking it with his elbow and opening it. He put it in front of Hongbin with a plate of pickled radishes.  
He eyeballed the radishes skeptically as the bartender placed chopsticks in front of him and another bottle in front of Hakyeon.  
“You're questioning Sanghyuk’s taste in garnish.” Hakyeon said before taking a radish and eating it then drinking the milky liquid. “You're gonna love it.”  
Hongbin followed Hakyeon’s lead and before they knew it, the radishes and makgeoli were gone. Replaced by a warm, pleasant buzz.  
“Dinner?” Hakyeon suggested. Hongbin nodded enthusiastically before holding Hakyeon's shoulder to steady himself.   
“Later Hyogi!” Hongbin waved as he leaned heavily against Hakyeon on the way out.   
“Bye bye, Hyung.” Hongbin left the nightclub with a floppy wave and Wonsik grinned, waving back.

“Where have you guys been?” Ken asked before they went into the hotel's restaurant.   
“Hyung was showing me old me’s… and co... ker… cohink… coincidentally new me's favorite thing to drink. I like here. Can we stay?”  
“Maybe after we complete our mission.” Ken replied with a small smile. He'd never seen Hongbin so relaxed. “Let's get some dinner.”  
“Great idea.” Hongbin grinned. 

The instant the host sat them down, a waiter had shown up with exactly what they wanted. Hongbin looked down at the plate of garlic fries with tears brimming at the corners of his eyes.  
“This is perfect.” He wibbled before inhaling half the plate.  
“You're gonna make yourself sick, Bin,” Ken patted him on the back.  
“If I get sick, we'll have to stay here longer.” He grinned mischievously.   
“But we won't, because you're a good person and want to help me.”  
“I might be a good person.” He clapped like a child when the waiter brought a steak. “Or I might want to stay here forever.” He dug into the perfectly cooked meal with a delighted hum.  
“I swear we'll come back once we've finished.” Ken said with an exasperated pout.  
“You promise?” His cheeks pooched out, full of steak and garlic fries. Ken nodded.

They finished dinner and Hongbin decided he was going to take a shower and sleep. He was excited about the prospect of a real bed and a full night's sleep for the first time in almost a week. 

“Ken…” Hakyeon held him behind.  
“What's up?”  
“You're going to break his heart.” Hakyeon frowned.  
“No way around it.” Ken replied. “I've been told that I can't tell him anything. The best I can do is let him look through the information that I took.”  
“He's not here though, have you tried to tell him?”   
“My teeth grind together and my mouth seals shut. He really doesn't want me to say anything.”  
“Try to keep your distance.”  
“Even though it hurts, I have been.”  
“I understand why you're here, but it still sucks that you had to be.” Ken nodded solemnly.  
“I'm going to bed.” Ken said softly.  
Ken opened the door and stepped into the hotel room he was going to share with Hongbin. The younger man had just pulled his shirt off and was working on his pants. He stopped abruptly and tried to cover himself up when the door opened.  
“It's just me.” Ken said softly. The only move he made was to close the door and Hongbin pouted at him. “What's wrong?” Ken asked.  
“You're staring.”  
“Sorry.” He brought his eyes back up to Hongbin’s, “Did you take a shower already?”  
“I was getting ready to, but I remembered my stuff was still in the wash-” There was a knock at the door.  
Ken opened it and Taekwoon was standing at the door, silently holding out Hongbin's neatly folded clothes.  
“Don't forget what Hakyeon told you.” Taekwoon said before depositing the clothes in Ken's arms and closing the door.  
He finally understood why Taekwoon said that when he noticed that his cheeks were warming up as he looked at the brunet.   
“Get washed up. Enjoy it. Don't know when we'll be back.” He said, practically throwing the clean clothes into Hongbin's arms.  
As soon as the bathroom door closed behind the brunet, Ken sat heavily on the bed with his hands on his cheeks.  
“No… no no no. Can't. Won't work. This is all wrong. Just gotta get him there, then I can go. Stop it.” He grumbled softly to himself for some time.  
“Why are you grabbing your chest so dramatically?” Hongbin asked him. Ken jumped to his feet, not hearing that Hongbin had finished his shower.  
“I… no reason.” He ran into the bathroom and slammed the door before he remembered that he never grabbed any clean clothes and that might look strange. He walked conspicuously back out of the bathroom and kept his back to the wall, slinking along in an awkward crab walk and keeping an eye on Hongbin as if he was going to attack him.  
When he finally got to his drawer, Hongbin asked him if he was ok, to which he turned quickly and shrieked “I have… a pair of- of fuzzy bunny jammies and- and I'm not afraid to use them!” He shook them at Hongbin menacingly before running back into the bathroom.  
“Good night, Ken.” Hongbin shouted at the bathroom door.  
Ken sat on the bathroom floor with his face in his hands for a moment. When he stood back up, he decided that he would try to act weird enough to keep Hongbin at a distance.  
He quickly showered only staying in long enough to rinse the shampoo and conditioner out.  
He sometimes wondered what it would be like to be able to stand under the stream of the shower for a long time, before deciding that he had been in the shower for too long and getting out.  
He crawled under the blankets and fell asleep on his side of the bed.

The next morning Ken woke up when he felt soft lips on his throat. Hongbin murmured a soft ‘Jannie’ against his skin and suddenly the older man was on his feet. His eyes were wide open and he went to put jeans on.   
“Wake up!" Ken shrieked. “We gotta eat breakfast and go.” He threw open the curtains before turning his his back to the brunet and pulling his sleeveless shirt on.  
Hongbin threw an arm over his eyes.  
“Too bright.” He grumbled. “What happened?”  
“You shouldn't drink so much. Don't you remember the wild orgy?” Ken teased.  
“What the Fuck?” Hongbin's head popped off the pillow and he stared at Ken in shock. “Ugh. I'm sure I didn't drink that much.” He ran his hand over his face, trying to clear the cobwebs from inside of his head.  
“You didn't. Just seeing if you did get drunk enough to forget.”  
“Just enough to be pleasantly drunk. But why does my head hurt?”  
“I hope you're not catching a cold.” He put a palm on Hongbin's forehead. “You would do that in order to stay longer.”  
“I think I just need breakfast and some water.” He grumbled.  
“Ok. Get dressed and pack. I'll get us a table downstairs.” He left quickly.  
By the time Hongbin came downstairs, Hakyeon had taken his bag and put it in the car for him. They both got to the restaurant at the same time and the host showed them to their table where Ken was talking to Taekwoon.  
“Doesn't your staff sleep?” Hongbin asked Taekwoon, noticing that the waiter and host were the same men from last night.  
“Why? They like doing th- ow! Why'd you step on my foot?” Taekwoon whined at Hakyeon.  
“They sleep when they need it.” Hakyeon said sweetly. He propped his chin on the backs of his hands, elbows firmly on the table as he attempted to look sweet and innocent about stomping on Taekwoon's foot.  
After they had a filling breakfast and Taekwoon handed Hongbin a bag full of road snacks, they went on their way. 

“So… did you find out what you needed?”  
“Yeah.” He changed lanes to go around a truck, “My Intel told me that they moved Sigma to Alaska. But my guy in the hotel said they haven’t moved him yet. We still have time to get him before that. He says he's gonna tell me if they do move him.”  
“So the plan is still Nevada?”   
“Yep.”


	4. unintended saviour

They crossed the state line at sunset and drove a few more hours. Hongbin's head hit the passenger window with an audible thunk and he popped his head up with a groan, but no more awake than he was when he nodded off. 

“Hey, I'm using the last of our money, but you need to sleep.” Ken said softly as he opened the passenger door.   
Hongbin slogged behind and followed him up the stairs.   
“What if the lab comes after us?” Hongbin mumbled, sounding very young all of a sudden.  
“I'll protect you.” Ken pulled Hongbin to his chest as they were falling asleep. “I'll always protect you.” He gave into the urge to kiss Hongbin's forehead. The younger man made a tiny hum in his sleep at the show of affection.

The next day, they left bright and early, eating the food that Taekwoon and Hakyeon gave them. Hongbin thought it was odd how the food still tasted fresh.  
“So. I know you hate doing this, but we're out of money and- ...I don't think we need to rob a gas station this time.” Ken said cheerfully, pulling down a dirt road toward a giant tent.  
“We're gonna work for the circus? Well, you're gonna work for the circus. I don't have any marketable circusy skills. Do you?”   
“Look closer,” He pointed at the sign by the tent.  
“Sacred Heart Fellowship of the Holy Redeemer Revival Church?” Hongbin looked at Ken, “We're gonna go to hell for this.”  
“Go big or go home.” Ken replied with a creepy grin. He was obviously thinking up a plan. “Let's go in and have a look. If I think of something, great. If not, we can just leave, ok?”  
Hongbin looked nervous but nodded anyway.  
He walked with Ken to the entrance.  
“We could just grab the collection box and run.” Hongbin suggested.  
“Great idea.”  
They went to throw open the curtains and accidentally punched someone in the face, sending them to the ground.   
“Oh my god are you ok?” Hongbin asked him. It took him a moment to realize that the man in a priest's cassock was trying to run out of the tent with the collection box.  
Ken looked in the tent to see all of the followers in the church sitting and staring at the man on the ground “Why didn't you stop him?” He asked them disbelievingly.  
The group of people stampeded to the exit screaming about a bomb. The man Hongbin had just helped up pushed a button to detonate said bomb.   
Hongbin punched the man into unconsciousness and Ken had enough time to jump in front of the younger man before the explosion could reach him.   
The smoke cleared and Hongbin stood, shaking off dust and debris before noticing that he couldn't see Ken anywhere.  
“Ken? Where are you?” There was no answer. The entire crowd was deathly silent, “You said you'd protect me! I can't keep going without you!”  
“Calm down" Ken shouted from above everyone, “I'm still here.” He said as he floated to the ground like a piece of paper.   
Hongbin stared in shocked silence at the other man much like everyone else.   
He landed on one knee and got to his feet, shaking his head to clear it.  
“Are you ok?” Ken asked Hongbin, checking him for injuries.   
“Y-Yeah… you?”   
“Blown ten feet into the air. I think I'm doing pretty good, considering.” Ken grinned.  
“Oh, good. I have no idea what I'd do without you.” Ken blushed at that. Hongbin had no idea how to react so he continued as though what had just happened wasn't out of the ordinary.  
Ken looked down at Hongbin's hands and saw the collection box. He took it from the younger man and looked at it before looking at the haggard looking congregation. He sighed loudly before turning to a tall man in a sheriff's hat.  
“Here.” He said with a serious expression, handing him the box.   
Before he knew what was happening, Ken was swooped off his feet by the joyous survivors and thrown into the air where he floated down significantly faster than the last time.  
“Stop! I'm going to be sick!”  
As soon as they put him down, everyone wanted to touch their guardian angel.  
“Look. We have a schedule to stick to. We gotta get going.” Hongbin said, pulling Ken to the car.  
They got in the car and everyone was still chasing them with gleeful expressions. “Well,” Hongbin started, “That was a bust.”  
“I wouldn't say that.” Ken drawled, pulling a stack of bills out of his vest.  
“Did you leave any money for them?” Hongbin asked.  
“Most of it.”


	5. can't be helped

     That night they stopped at a strange motel where each room was essentially three walls and the fourth was mosquito netting. Outside the fourth wall was a porch and a small, grassy courtyard. They sat down for a moment before Hongbin pushed the mosquito netting away and ran outside, leaping off of the porch with an uncharacteristic squeal of joy.  
      Ken sat on the porch with his back against a pole that was there to keep the roof up and one leg swinging off of the edge.  
He was suddenly struck with a sense of deja vu.

_**~~~** Long ago, far away. Another him. Another Hongbin. The younger man was running through a swarm of fireflies. His long, fluffy hair was flying everywhere. Hongbin walking up to him and opening his hands, giving him a face full of fireflies. **~~~**_

      “What are you thinking about?” Hongbin asked. Ken snapped out of his reverie and looked directly at Hongbin.

       “I was just remembering something. I think.” He smiled wistfully.

      “Wanna see something?” Hongbin asked mischievously. Ken looked at him curiously. Hongbin opened his hands and fireflies flew for freedom… directly toward Ken's face.

      The older man sputtered and looked at Hongbin with a pout before getting up and chasing him through the swarm of glowing bugs. Ken finally lunged at Hongbin and they rolled to a stop with the blond on top.

      They stared for a moment before Ken leaned down and pressed their lips together.       Ken pulled Hongbin to his feet and pressed him against the pillar he was just leaning on.

      Hongbin pulled him closer by the hips. The brunet moaned softly when Ken canted his hips while tracing his lips across the seam of Hongbin's.

      The blond took advantage and pressed forward, sucking Hongbin's lower lip between his teeth and pushing him against the pillar by his hips a little more insistently.

      “Hongbin I-”

      “Shut up, get inside. Get undressed. I'll be right back.”

      Ken did as he was told and Hongbin ran to the car to get his bag.

      Ken didn't have time to ponder what he was doing before he was pinned face down to the bed.

      Hongbin was kissing up his spine and all Ken could do was moan helplessly, saying how much he needed the younger man.

      Hongbin slotted himself between Ken's legs, nipping and kissing the skin at the back of his neck.   

      Hongbin's cock hung heavy between them, teasing Ken, brushing between his legs just enough so the blond could feel that the other man was just as hard as he was.

      Ken rolled his hips back, silently begging for more, pulling a heavy breath out of Hongbin.

      “Please" He finally gasped. “I need… so much…” Hongbin backed away and returned a moment later, kissing up the side of Ken's neck.

      Ken was about to resume begging before Hongbin very slowly pressed a slick finger into him. He pulled it out just as slowly over and over until Ken was rocking his hips and spreading his legs farther, asking for more.

      Two fingers quickly became three and Ken was frantically rocking his hips to get some sort of friction.

      “I want you, Ken… may I?” Hongbin purred against his ear.

      “Yes!” He chanted, “Yes, yes please yes.” Hongbin pulled back and Ken heard the crinkle of the condom wrapper as he pushed up on his hands and knees. “Hurry…” He whined.

      Hongbin pressed himself against Ken and kissed the middle of his back.

      “Relax… take a breath.” Hongbin traced Ken's sides with his fingertips before slowly pushing in. “Ken…" He made the blond shiver by talking to his back, "I need to stop moving for a minute. You're too tight. Might not last if I keep going right away.”

      He kissed along the pale, olive expanse of skin. Ken whined softly and Hongbin's only response was to reach down, teasing the insides of Ken's thighs with his fingers, very slowly running a nail up the underside of Ken's cock and gently scratching his way up his stomach and chest.

      The blond bucked back a little at the touch. “Touch me again.” Ken half whispered. “Please" He begged.

      Hongbin pushed in the rest of the way as he wrapped his fingers around the older man's cock, causing Ken to shout and raise up to just his knees so he could cling to the back of Hongbin's neck as the younger man slowly stroked him.

      He turned his head and kissed Hongbin sloppily between panting moans. Hongbin quickly ran his palm across the head of Ken's cock before pushing him to his hands and knees again, pulling his hips back to snap them forward a moment later.

      Of all things Hongbin expected Ken to be, quiet was not it. It almost looked to Hongbin as if he was concentrating.

      “Are you not enjoying yourself?” Hongbin stopped, about to get up.     

      “Please! Don't stop!” He grabbed Hongbin's thigh, holding him there.

      “Am I doing ok?” Ken nodded rapidly desperately gulping air in. He sobbed loudly when Hongbin pushed back in and he pushed back as well.

      “Faster!” The blond tried to brace himself on the bed but only fell face down into the pillow. Ken looked back at Hongbin when he got closer and made a surprised noise when he saw Hongbin start to glow. “Bin- ah!” He was cut off when the younger man changed angles.

      The glowing got brighter and Ken stroked himself quickly, watching Hongbin out of the corner of his eye.

      There was no rhythm to Hongbin's desperate attempt to finish, but the glowing grew brighter and brighter until Hongbin came with a guttural shout.

      Ken turned around and kissed Hongbin as he strove to reach his own end.

      “I need a shower,” Hongbin panted, “Join me?” Without thinking, Ken shook his head to the negative.

      The older man looked nervous suddenly. “Ah… we… when we… uh…”

      “You don't have to say anything. I know the look of regret.” Bitterness in his voice palpable.

      “What? No! I don't- I'm not… Er I've just never um hmm… was I ok?” Ken looked hopeful. “I mean I've never uh…”

      “Yeah,” Hongbin kissed him. “You were good.”

      “I mean because if I need practice or something I’ll try it again… practice makes perfect, right?”

      “Shut up already and get to sleep if you’re not going to take a shower with me.” Ken nodded and used a tank top to clean himself off while Hongbin got up to take a shower.

      By the time Hongbin came back, Ken was in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt, barely clinging to consciousness.

      “I’m cold, warm me up.” Ken whined, his eyes didn’t even look open. Hongbin curled around him and placed his head on Ken’s chest.

      A few moments went by before he realised that he didn't hear anything. He couldn't hear a heartbeat. He felt for a pulse in Ken's wrist and the only reaction he got was the older man twining their fingers together.

      “Night, Kongs…” He sighed.


	6. harrowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so i think the beginning of this chapter is a total cop out.  
> sorry  
> but i couldn't think (even in the five years this stupid story has been sitting in my gdocs) how they got to the cliff  
> tell me if you have any ideas
> 
> leave me comments  
> i like comments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter

Hongbin had no idea what happened. One minute they were eating lunch at a diner and the next there was a car chase. Something happened and they had to get out of the car. Everything was a complete blur and now Hongbin was standing between two extremes. A pair of gun wielding feds and a cliff. Hongbin looked down and swallowed loudly when he was fairly certain there was no way to survive that drop.   
“Stay behind me.” Ken whispered, “Remember, I promised I'd protect you.”  
“You best step away from him, boy.” One of the officers said.   
“He stays with me.” Ken said.  
“Not him, idjit. You. You need to step away from him unless you really are his accomplice and not his hostage.”  
Ken looked back at Hongbin for a moment before turning back to the two men.   
“Excuse me, WHAT?” He screeched incredulously. “What? Has anyone noticed the fact that I've been holding him at knife point this whole time?”  
“Ken, don't intimidate them.” Hongbin said softly. Hongbin put his hand on Ken's shoulder.  
“He grabbed the hostage.” The officer who had been doing all the talking said as he raised his gun. The other officer raised his gun, but Ken noticed that he wasn't pointing it at anyone. He smirked at that one and got a wink in return.  
Hongbin backed up slightly, looking in terror at the drop behind them. He looked back up when he heard a gunshot echo over the valley.  
Ken was hit in the shoulder and he stepped back far enough to force Hongbin to lose his balance.   
Ken turned fast enough to catch Hongbin over the edge of the cliff. Hongbin looked wide eyed in shock as the other man tried to pull him up, not quite registering that his shoulder had been dislocated in the fall.   
There was another crack of a gunshot as Ken was hit in the back.   
Hongbin screamed when instead of blood, Ken coughed up what could best be described as ink. Hongbin was certain that meant they hit something more than vital. Still, the older man was determined to pull Hongbin up. One more bullet sent them tumbling over the edge.   
Ken had enough time to pull Hongbin close and turn them so the older man could take the brunt of the fall.   
“The wolves are gonna have fun with them.” The officer who had been quiet up until then said.  
“So we're not gonna go get them?”  
“I ain't goin’ down there.” He said. “It's gettin’ dark"  
“Good point.”   
As they walked away, the quiet officer threw a note and the keys in through the open window of their car.


	7. short chapter

Hours later, it was dark. There was very little moon to see by and a wolf was sniffing Hongbin. Ken gasped as his eyes shot open and landed on the grey creature.   
“I thought you'd have a better sense of self preservation.” He coughed as he reached for the creature. There was a slight glow as he wrapped his arms around it and his skin began to mend itself.   
He wiped his mouth and saw a red streak on his fingers. He blinked in surprise before turning to see if Hongbin was alive.   
He lay there, unmoving with blood trailing down the side of his face. He felt for a pulse before cursing and biting into the wolf's throat.   
He brought the mouthful of blood to Hongbin and got him to swallow two or three times before Hongbin's eyes shot open and he looked momentarily terrified before he glared as if he couldn't be angrier at Ken.  
“Calm down, Bin. Stay awake for me. I'm taking us somewhere safe.” Ken didn't look much better than Hongbin, especially with all of the blood going down his chin. He looked around in the dark before finally seeing a trail leading up.  
He lifted Hongbin up and piggybacked him up the trail. They ended up right by the car. He was about to hotwire his own car when he saw the keys glinting in the sparse moonlight.   
“Someone up there still loves us.” Ken said softly to Hongbin who grunted in reply.  
He put Hongbin in the passenger seat and read the note that the keys were on.

_They're not paying me enough for this shit. I'm giving you a head start because my family owes you big time. They think the wolves are eating your innards, but we know better, don't we, angel? Good luck and keep your head down._

Ken headed toward Nevada until he saw the sign by the side off the road with a big, blue H. He sighed in relief as he took the exit. He stumbled into the urgent care clinic with Hongbin in his arms. “Please… Help him.” He said, handing Hongbin to the nurses. “There was an accident… He needs blood.” He said before collapsing on the floor. “He's not showing any life signs.” One of the nurses shouted before his consciousness faded.


	8. hospital

_‘What are you doing? He's not safe. He won't be safe until you bring him here.’_

      Ken's eyes blinked open slowly. His orders were still running through his head. It took him a moment to realise that he had been covered in a white sheet.      

      He got up and went to find Hongbin. One of the nurses doing rounds that night noticed the door to the supply room swinging open.       The refrigerator with blood had been ransacked along with some office supplies.       Ken went from room to room looking for Hongbin. He finally found the room and nearly cried when he saw the younger man hooked to so many machines.

      He had an air cast on his leg and his arm was braced up to his shoulder.

      He hooked the bag of blood to Hongbin's IV and curled up on the bed next to him. He squeezed Hongbin protectively when he heard a nurse tell another that she found the missing John doe.

      He heard someone wheel another bed next to them and the nurse grabbed Ken's wrist.

      “Sir, there's a bed right here. Your friend will be fine, I assure you, but we need to be able to get to him if anything goes wrong.”

      “Not moving. Don't wanna. He's warm. You can't make me.”

      “In any case, I have to run some tests on you. Your skin is so cold. Let's get you some more blankets.”

      “It's because I'm hungry. I’ll warm up with Hongbin. I just need some food.”

      “I'll bring you some food if you cooperate.”

      “But… He needs me.” Ken said, looking down at Hongbin on the verge of tears, but sat up anyway. He knew he couldn't protect Hongbin if he didn't eat soon.

      “Isn't there a way I can be closer to him?” He asked.

      “This is the closest you can be in case something goes wrong.” The nurse repeated, “Please take off your shirt.” Ken stared at the nurse for a moment before pulling his tattered shirt over his head. His left side had a deep gash across it. It wasn't bleeding. His right side was mottled in a series of bruises and his neck was black like burnt, torn paper.

      “Don't you hurt? ANDI, GET ME THE STITCH KIT.”

      “Shh,” Ken shushed the nurse, “Don't wake him.”

      “We're gonna have to report this.”

      “No need. We were hiking and fell off a cliff. Ken said.

      “One hell of a cliff.” The new nurse said. Ken was looking at the blood still under his fingernails, “I was bleeding… how is that possible? I don't- I can't- never mind.”

      “You said yourself, you fell off a cliff.” The nurse replied. “You must really love him to come back from the dead for him.” One of the nurses said, Ken could practically see the hearts in the woman's eyes.

      “I wasn't dead…”

      “It's not our normal bedside manner to leave living patients covered in white sheets in the hall while we wait for the morgue to collect them.”

      “I just fainted because I was hungry…”

      “Well, we'll stitch you up and I'll get you some food while Andi cheeks your vitals.”

      “This might work better.” Ken handed the nurse some tape from the supply room. The nurse was having difficulty stitching his side back up. “Seriously though, regular office staples will work better.” Ken insisted.

      She finished trying to sew Ken back together and put a stethoscope to his chest. “I heard on the news about these two guys going on a cross country crime spree, robbing convenience stores and being such a nuisance that the feds actually had to go after them.”

      “Binie and I have been listening to music this whole time. We haven't been listening to the news.” He sighed wistfully while looking at Hongbin and grabbing his hand.

      “So where are you two headed?” She asked.

      “Vegas. I was planning on popping the question on a gondola at the Venetian.” Not having to work too hard to convince the nurse that he was exceedingly worried about his lover.

      “Probably won't happen for a while. We have no idea when he's going to wake up and he nearly flatlined twice.”

“H-he never actually died though, right?” She shook her head to the negative, looking at her stethoscope and tapping it.

      “Carol, can I borrow your stethoscope?”

      “Yeah, why?” She showed up with a plate full of food on a tray.

      “I'm not hearing anything through mine.” She said. Ken took it from her hands and put it to his mouth.

      “Are you sure?” He asked into the stethoscope. The nurse looked at him in confusion. He put his hand out for her to take his non-existent pulse. She just stared at him.

      “What...Are you?” She finally asked.

      “We're just passing through. Can you give him more blood and both of us magnesium injections? We're both severely deficient. As soon as he wakes up, we'll be on our way.”

      “But-” one of the nurses started.

      “We will be on our way and you won't tell anyone else about us.” He said without a smile.

      “I already informed the police, though.” Ken’s eyes widened.

      “Magnesium now.” He put his arm out and shoved the plate of food into his mouth before running to the supply room and grabbing a cooler and two more pints of blood.

      “Where are you going?”

      “I have to keep him safe. Away from them.” Ken said, stepping outside to load the car with supplies before detaching Hongbin from the machines and carrying him outside.

**Five minutes later**

      “What do you mean you don't know where they went?” The officer asked. He was wearing a slightly different uniform than she was used to.

      “We aren't equipped with any sort of security. If you wanted someone to go after them or stop them, give us more people.” Andi said with her hands on her hips.


	9. Jaehwan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So here's where it might get confusing again.  
> I hope not  
> If you need help understanding anything, ask in comments or message me...

By that point, Ken had already driven across the state border and was heading north.   
He stopped long enough to change the empty bag of blood for a full one. As the sun started to rise the next day, Hongbin groaned.   
Ken pulled over and checked how he was doing.   
“Are you alive?”   
“I've never been in so much pain.” Hongbin said softly. His throat was sore from disuse… and possibly the tube that was down his windpipe in the hospital.  
“Shit. I didn't think to grab painkillers. I'm sorry. Do you think you can stand it long enough to get to a drug store?” He asked.  
“More importantly, I need food. How long have I been out? How did we get back to the car and how did you get away with robbing a hospital for all this stuff?”  
“You were in the hospital for close to two days and they didn't know if you'd even wake up. I had to get us out of there before anyone found us.”  
Ken pulled the last pint of blood out of the cooler and hung it on the handle above Hongbin's head before connecting it to the IV.   
“How long have you been driving?”  
“About ten hours.”  
“As soon as this is done, let's go get some food.” Hongbin pointed at the bag.  
Ken nodded and pulled back onto the highway. The original plan was to go down the less populated roads and stop once in awhile when they needed to, but Hongbin's injuries and their exotic appearances caused them to stick out like sore thumbs. They stuck to major highways and stayed at smaller motels as long as they could before they finally had to go down a long dusty highway. It was hot. It was miserable. There was nothing for miles. Ken finally turned left. The road was flat but unpaved and went up the side of a mountain.  
“Are we going the right way?”   
“Yeah. Almost there.” He slowed the car down and turned to Hongbin. “If anything happens. I need you to know that there's magnesium that you have to give to Sigma. In the glove box.” He pointed.  
“Why does this sound like it's more dangerous than you told me?”  
“I might need to stay behind. I promised him that I'd protect you. That's what I'm going to do.”  
“How can you protect me if you're not with me?” Hongbin asked. Ken drove in silence, obviously trying to formulate an answer.  
“Remember what I said at the beginning of the trip?”  
“To trust you.”  
“And I'm gonna need you to trust Sigma too.” Hongbin looked out the window petulantly, watching the Joshua trees go by. “Please promise me…”  
“Fine.”  
“Hn,” Ken looked slightly amused. “This might be easier than I thought.” Hongbin looked up and noticed that they had taken the back entrance to a low security, completely normal, public hospital.  
They pulled into a parking lot and walked through the main doors. Hongbin leaned heavily on Ken and they went to the information desk.  
“How may I help you, sir?” An overpleasant woman smiled at them.   
“They told us to come here to get crutches for my friend.” He gestured to Hongbin.   
“Third floor.” The lady said and pointed to the elevators.  
“Thanks!” Ken chirped, helping the younger man to the elevator.   
“Do you know where we need to go yet?” Hongbin asked as the doors on the elevator closed with them inside.   
“Top floor is where he is.” Ken said, pushing the third floor button.   
“Then why aren't we going up?”  
“You can escape faster when you aren't hobbling along.” He replied.  
“Good point.”  
They walked up to the counter by the elevator and there was a man doing transcriptions in clothes that obviously belonged to a patient.   
“Excuse me?” Ken said softly.  
“Yes, non existent paper man?” He replied, “I see… I see you for what you really are. You and your pretty vampire. Posing so lovely as humans.” He took a deep breath, “Your friend is on the floor they took from me. Now Jack works here. Transcriptions. They let me because Jack is good at it. But your friend has Jack's room and they keep him locked there. Sleeping. Always asleep. Always hungry. Incomplete. He cries sometimes. Broken hearts so painful. This is the worst of all his five hundred years. Jannie cannot be with his love but his paper doll can. The best parts of his heart. He sees the love his pretty vampire has for the doll and his heart cries. loud. so loud. Jack hears Paper doll hears it too" He babbled at Ken.  
“We just need crutches…” Ken said uneasily.  
“For the vampire whose heart will cry out as loudly as Jannie’s does.” He pointed down the hall and looked at Hongbin.  
“Trust and love Jannie. Pretty Vampire's heart will cry but Jannie is good. It is meant to be.” He said to Hongbin and sat back down, going back to typing out his transcripts.

“Hi… I got pointed in this direction to get Hongbin some crutches… by the interesting guy doing transcripts out front.”  
“Jack. Thanks to budget cuts, not only is he a mental inpatient, but he also does medical transcripts for us. Really quiet, but he does good work.” The woman said, looking Hongbin over. “Real strange how they suddenly closed off the floor he was supposed to be on, but they never tell us anything.” She said.  
She lifted Hongbin's arm and pushed at the skin. Hongbin winced.  
“I can't in good conscience give you crutches. You'll have to use the scooter instead.”  
“Scooter?” Hongbin looked confused.  
“This.” She pulled out a scooter that Hongbin was to rest his knee on and push off with his good foot.  
“Oh… ok.”  
As he scooted back to the elevator, Jack looked at them. “Don't forget to trust. Jannie waits in Jack's old room. Save him.”  
They got on the elevator and pushed the top floor’s button.   
There was only one door that wasn't open and it had a sign that had Jack's name on it in crayon. Hongbin went to open it, but Ken grabbed his wrist and pulled him away.  
“Bin. I need you to stay here. Stay here and no matter what you hear inside, don't try to open the door. It'll unlock on its own.” He seemed to be taking in every detail of Hongbin's face. It felt uncomfortably like a goodbye.  
“What if someone comes?”  
“Hide. I'll try to make this quick. Don't forget. Jaehwan will need the magnesium when you get out.” He fished in his pocket and put the keys in Hongbin's hands. “These. You're gonna need these. Remember. Trust Jaehwan like you trusted me, ok?” Hongbin looked as if he was about to cry when Ken kissed him before opening the door.   
“Jaehwan? Who-”  
“Sigma’s real name. Promise me."  
He closed the door and Hongbin heard the lock as the door clicked shut. Hongbin pressed his ear to the wood and listened. He could barely hear anything and there was another click.  
The man slumped at the door looked like Ken with greasy, long hair. He looked at Hongbin like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He looked as if he was fighting the urge to reach out to the younger man.  
“Where's Ken?” He asked. The man placed a crumpled paper doll in Hongbin's hand.   
“We have to go.” He said. “I'll explain everything in the car. We have to hurry.”  
“But where is he?”   
“Look in your Fucking hand. Get on your scooter and shift. We don’t have time for this, Kongs!”  
He glanced in the empty room and saw that it was, in fact, completely vacant, just before he saw this new man swoon. He caught him and sat him on the scooter before wheeling out of the hospital.  
Before Hongbin turned the car on, he remembered what Ken said. He opened the glove box and pointed.  
“He said something about magnesium.”  
“Good boy, er what was it you called him?”  
“Ken.” Hongbin didn't know if he liked this guy, but his lover sacrificed himself for him, so he had to at least be polite.  
“Don't look at me like I should know. You're the one who named him.” He pointed to the paper doll’s heart and in Hongbin's handwriting was the name ‘Ken’. Hongbin sobbed before shouting in pain when the other man stabbed him with a small preloaded needle.   
Hongbin glared as Jaehwan massaged the assaulted muscle to get the magnesium to circulate through his body.  
“You needed it too. Don't look at me like that.”   
Hongbin started the car with a frown, suddenly thankful he landed harder on his left side.   
“Where are we going?” Hongbin asked as he drove out of the main gates of the parking lot.  
Apparently Ken didn't need to take that long, confusing back road. The hospital was on the outskirts of a small town just off of the main highway.  
“We have to go back to the hotel you really liked and then I'm taking you home. I can deal with the company myself.”  
“Because you did such a good job last time.” Hongbin frowned.  
“They ambushed me." He defended with an exaggerated pout, "That's why we need to go to the hotel again. We should probably also stop there for food.” He pointed at a diner off the next exit.  
He dug through the back seat as Hongbin tried to unfold his scooter, finally finding the package he was looking for and tearing it open.   
Inside was a phone and wallet. He pushed a button and put the phone to his ear.   
“Hey, yeah. He got me out. I know. Hakyeon totally called it. Yeah. Shut up and get rid of the trace on my cards. I want to eat and I don't want to have a criminal record. See you in a few days.” He hung up and saw Hongbin still struggling with the scooter. He picked it up and flicked his wrist, snapping the parts into place.  
“It's easier to fold it down than to unfold it, it seems.” He said before heading to the restaurant with Hongbin following slowly.  
This place was massive. It may have been a bustling hub of social activity forty years ago, but currently it was just them and a few other weary travelers.   
The walls were covered in old metal lunch boxes and wooden railings that belonged on staircases. There were stained glass windows between each booth in the popular colours of the 70s. All in all Hongbin was not a fan.  
Then again, Hongbin was not in the best of moods or else he'd be having a discussion about the artistic value of places like this. Instead, he sat sullenly on a squeaky vinyl bench, glaring at the other man.  
“First things first, introductions.” He opened a menu and gestured for Hongbin to look at his, “I'm Jaehwan. I'm five hundred years old. I used to like long road trips, but not so much with petulant reincarnations of former lovers. I like having someone to talk to, but I do understand that you're getting over the shock that you've essentially been fucking a paper doll for the past few weeks.”  
Their food showed up quickly and Hongbin asked why they needed so much magnesium as Jaehwan shoveled food into his mouth.  
“It's a side effect of our condition. Vampires drink blood, we require magnesium. It's a temporary substitute to the ki you'd been giving to Ken.”  
“What ki?” Hongbin furrowed his eyebrows.  
“Every time you two made love, you gave off tremendous amounts of energy. I… He used the energy for sustenance. But because he was a small part of me, the energy came to me.” He sighed softly, “It was a bit diffused by the time it got to me, though.” He leaned over the table and gave Hongbin a seductive face, causing him to blush. It was slightly less effective than it would have been if he didn't look like a bum in hospital clothes. “So not only is it fun, it's functional.” He sat back down and went back to eating his meal, “It's preferable to food, but I couldn't ask you for that, you're injured, still hung up on my shikigami and we were in a bit of a hurry.”  
“Why do you keep talking about paper dolls and what do I have to do with any of this… and what's a… shiki...whatever it was?”  
Jaehwan ate some more food before talking again.  
“You know how when you were a kid you had those paper dolls to do things for you?”  
“I… never told anyone about those.” Hongbin looked nervous.  
“Ken was mine, you named him, by the way, and that's part of the reason why he was so attached to you... The other part is because no matter how many times you're reincarnated, I can't help but love you… no matter how insufferable you are… and he felt that way too.”  
Hongbin ignored the insufferable part of that and the intense way Jaehwan looked at him when he said that, only to continue asking questions.  
“I still don't get it, my dolls barely lasted five, minutes. They were tiny. They could barely lift a heavy box-I”  
“How old were you when you made those dolls, Kongs?”  
“Er… five… maybe six?”  
“If you hit five hundred, tell me you haven't learned any tricks along the way.”  
“... You're really 500?”  
“Ish...I stopped counting a while back.” He gestured toward the plate in front of the younger man. “Eat. You need it.”  
“Don't have much of an appetite.” He poked at a leafy green with his fork.  
“Eat something, you mopey onmyouji.”  
“Onmiwhat now?”  
“That's what you are. That's how you could make those shikigami as a kid. That's why you even survived their ridiculous experiment.”  
“Are you saying I'm not human?” Hongbin shoved a broccoli floret in his mouth.  
“You're as human as I am, I'm just saying you've got abilities that set you apart from others. Onmyouji are kinda like… natural wizards for lack of better word.”  
“You're over 500, how does that make you human?”  
“I'm just… really well preserved. I don't know. I don't feel any different than I did when I was your age.”  
Hongbin went back to poking at the food and looking dour.  
“Look, if you don't eat, we'll have a repeat of what happened when Ken met you at the library, and I don't have any vegetable juice or almonds to give you this time.”  
“How did you know about that?” Hongbin asked.   
“Everything you two saw or did together, I saw too. Ken was an extension of me.” He tried to explain.  
“Even when we- uh" Hongbin’s ears turned red.  
“Yep.” He took a bite of his steak and took a large sip of milk. “Kongs, there is nothing to be ashamed about. You were really really good.” He smirked when it looked like Hongbin was about to faint. “Now, eat. I don't want you passing out on me.”

Hongbin drove for a few more hours before Jaehwan told him to pull over at a motel. Hongbin plopped onto the bed and curled up as close to the edge as possible. Jaehwan made a beeline for the shower.   
Once he was washed up, he sat on the bed and watched Hongbin for a moment.  
“Don't you want to wash the day's grime off? I know you're not sleeping. The breathing is all wrong.”  
Hongbin stood and grabbed his bag of clothes. He looked at Jaehwan, looking so similar yet so different from Ken.   
Hongbin ran into the shower as well as he could and took off his air casts. He was almost happy about the fact that the water pressure ran a little high when it pelted his skin a little harder than comfortable.   
He stood for a few minutes with his face pointed toward the stream. He sobbed once before leaning against the wall and covering his face with his good hand.  
By the time he came out, Jaehwan was watching tv and trying to brush the long, tangled hair.  
“When we get back to the hotel, I'm totally getting my hair cut.”   
Hongbin looked confused when he noticed that Jaehwan had put their bags in a small pile at the foot of the bed.   
“Put your leg on that. Keep it elevated…” He looked at Hongbin who was desperately trying to get into a jar of anti inflammatories. “Lay down, Kongs, I got it.” He went to get a glass of water and dropped a pair of pills in Hongbin's right hand. He turned off the lights and Hongbin started to drift off.   
His eyes opened when Jaehwan wrapped himself strangely around the younger man.   
“What are you doing?” Hongbin was afraid to turn his head. Jaehwan was practically breathing into his ear.  
Keeping your arm elevated so you don't have to consciously do it.  
“Oh...thanks.” that night the presence of a second heartbeat was so strange to Hongbin, but he didn't fight when sleep finally came.


	10. back to the hotel

It took two rather quiet days to drive to the hotel in Louisiana. It was starting to put them both on edge. Everyday, Hongbin became more withdrawn.   
Jaehwan sang to all the same songs Ken liked, but he wasn't as cheerful or obnoxious about it. Ken used to get excited about random roadside attractions that Jaehwan looked less than enthusiastic about and Hongbin's mood seemed to be contagious.   
They got to the hotel and as soon as Jaehwan pulled into the valet parking, Hongbin jumped out of the car and hobbled to the bar without his scooter.  
Ravi didn't even say anything. He just opened the door. Hongbin nodded in thanks at him and sat at the bar. After he went in, he called Hakyeon on his earpiece.  
By the time Sanghyuk had put the makgeoli and radishes on the bar in front of him, Hakyeon was there, hugging him.  
“What happened to you?” The older man shrieked, looking at Hongbin's arm.   
“Fell off a cliff. Ken saved me… but Ken's gone now…”  
“You did save Jaehwan, right?”  
“Ken did… That's when I lost him.”  
“You understand they're the same person… different parts, but the same person.”  
“They're nothing alike. Jaehwan is subdued and quieter and nowhere near as friendly. Ken was… Ken was loud and loved singing and clingy and really out there. He's not the same.” Hongbin huffed into the space between his arms on the bar.  
“Have you ever thought that Jaehwan is trying to give you space? He can see you're hurting, and I'm sure he tried to distract you for a little while, but you weren't reacting to that, so I think the only other thing he can think of is to leave you alone.”   
“I think I'm going to go to my room.” Hongbin pouted.  
“Oh no you don't. I'm taking you to see Fen.”  
“Who?” Before Hongbin knew it, he was picked up and carried through the east wing of the hotel like a damsel in distress.   
Hakyeon knocked and a tall, almost skeletal, blond man answered.   
“Hey Sin, is Fen in?”  
“Funny you should say that. Hey Hongbin. He was just about to track you down and chew you a new one. Have a seat.” He guided Hongbin and Hakyeon to some chairs by the door.   
There was a large man bent over the bed closest to them. The best description Hongbin had for the man was ‘wolf’. He was injecting someone with a weird concoction. Taekwoon was standing at the end of the bed, watching.   
Taekwoon saw the two men who had just entered and stormed up to Hongbin.   
“You were supposed to rescue him, not drain him of all of his energy.” Taekwoon growled at him, jabbing his finger into the brunet's chest.  
“What are you talking about?” Hongbin was genuinely confused. He backed away as far as he could considering he was sitting.   
“One more night of whatever he was doing with you and he wouldn't have woken up again.” The man injecting Jaehwan finally turned to say.  
“I don't understand.” Hongbin said.   
“I can't stand seeing you in pain…” Jaehwan said softly. “I did what I could… so you wouldn't… hurt" his voice drifted off.  
“Sleep now. You'll wake up in your bed in a few days.”   
Hongbin watched, feeling guilty as Taekwoon carried the sleeping man away.   
“Your turn.” Fen said, patting the bed.  
Hongbin hobbled, trying to keep his weight off his left foot. He sat on the bed, about to lay down when the large man grabbed his left ankle and started sniffing the cast. He did the same to Hongbin's arm.  
“Strip.” Fen said, leaving no room for argument. “Just leave your underwear on. Sin, could you be a dear and fill the bathtub?”  
“Sure thing, babe.”  
“If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing? I broke my arm and leg less than a week ago.” He still took his air casts off, not wanting to upset the beastly man any further.  
“You underestimate the sheer amount of energy Jaehwan has been giving you.” He picked Hongbin up and put him in the almost painfully hot bath tub. Sin sprinkled random things and Hongbin felt more like they were adding spices for a soup than trying to make him feel better.  
“Jaehwan cares about you. More than you know.” Hakyeon said, sitting on the floor next to the tub as they waited for Hongbin to soak. Hakyeon rest his arms on the edge and plopped his head on top. He splashed a tiny amount of water at Hongbin, making the younger man sputter.   
“You knew right away that he wasn't the same person, how can you tell me that they are?”  
“I could tell because Ken had no heartbeat.” Hakyeon stated simply.   
“...Oh.”  
A few minutes of awkward silence passed before Fen returned.   
“Are you in any pain?” He asked Hongbin.  
“No.”  
“Not even your shoulder where it seemed to have been dislocated at one point?” He prodded at the bruised shoulder. Hongbin shook his head. “Hakyeon, go to their room and bring Hongbin some clean clothes.” Hakyeon rushed to obey. Fen very slowly peeled the layers of gauze from Hongbin's arm and revealed a line of stitches going through practically unmarred skin.   
“Stitch kit please.” He shouted out the bathroom door.  
Sin returned with an old fashioned medical bag. Hongbin cried out with every stitch Fen cut and pulled out.   
“They told Ken it was broken. There's nothing wrong with it. I was out for a couple days too.”  
“Jaehwan fucking healed you.” Sin poked him in the shoulder with every syllable. “Sweet humanity, this incarnation is thick.”  
“It smells like you were in a medically induced coma. Should still be.” Fen sniffed him.  
“How can you tell? Why do you guys keep talking about incarnations? Why is there a dresser full of stuff that fits me? What is going on?”  
“First off,” Fen started, “Reincarnation is actually a thing for some people. And fate is also a thing for some people. Since Jannie can't die, thanks to that virus that is swimming through his veins,” Fen stopped to sniff Hongbin again, “Interesting. You have it this time as well.”  
“And that's where your fate comes and twines with his.” Sin said with a grin.  
“Normally he stays with you until your unfortunately early demise. It nearly kills him every time.” Fen lifted Hongbin's leg out of the water and peeled the gauze from those stitches as well.  
“How do I know he's looking at me and not my previous incarnations?”  
“He knows how much you hate it.” Hakyeon said, his arms full of Hongbin's sweats.   
Hongbin shouted in pain as Fen pulled out the stitches again. “Do him a favour and don't look for Ken in him.”  
“I- I'll try…” Fen helped him out of the tub and drained it while Sin handed him a towel.   
“Get dressed, meet us out there. I want to wrap your ankle, just in case.” Hongbin nodded and started to dry himself off.

Hakyeon helped Hongbin to his room and Jaehwan was still asleep.   
“Fen wanted me to give you this when you got tucked in.” Hakyeon whispered, getting a glass of water and handing Hongbin a pill.   
As soon as Hongbin finished drinking the water, he was out.   
Hakyeon tip toed out of the room hoping things would finally turn out well for the two of them.


	11. room service... why do i gotta write titles for these things?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You may think this is a bit sudden,   
> but I think it's something that ponchovilla... Boondoggle- Hongdongle (meh. Close enough)... His subconscious has wanted for some time

When Hongbin woke up his limbs were tangled with Jaehwan's. He extricated himself and walked to the bathroom. After peeing the pee of ages, he debated whether or not to go back to bed. He decided he was too hungry to stay asleep.  
He went downstairs while still in the clothes he slept in. The host asked if it was just him and Hongbin nodded. They sat him at the same table they usually did.  
“You shouldn't be awake yet.” Fen sat at the table, accompanied by his ever present boyfriend.   
“According to you, I should still be in a medically induced coma, but I was really hungry. So I woke up.”  
“I can see that.” He said as the waiter brought Hongbin almost as much food as the other two men were eating.  
“Y-you got the lumberjack stack of pancakes.” Sin stuttered, “You're not gonna share it with anyone? Where is it all gonna go?” He poked Hongbin's side.  
“I said I was hungry.” He pulled one manhole cover sized pancake onto his plate and covered it in syrup, whipped cream and powdered sugar from the little tray that came with it. He went through three before there was this really strange feeling in the back of his head.   
He asked for the rest in a box before rushing back to his room. 

He walked into the room and Jaehwan sat up quickly as if he was startled.   
“You didn't leave?” Jaehwan asked. His voice was so raw that it almost hurt Hongbin's heart to hear. His eyes were glassy and his ruddy cheeks were streaked with tear tracks.  
“I got hungry.” Hongbin instinctively reached out to comfort the older man.   
Jaehwan grabbed his wrist and kissed his palm reverently. He pulled Hongbin closer and wrapped his arms around him.   
“I need to know you're really here. Even if you don't care. I've woken up so many times in that place, dreaming. Those were the worst dreams. Dreaming of the times I found you. Dreaming of the times I couldn't save you. Dreaming of when I'll lose you again…”  
“Fen said I have the same virus you do… so did the guy in the lab. What did they mean?”   
Jaehwan's face scrunched up. “Why would he say that? You've never been a carrier before.”  
“That was probably what the experiment was. We have to stop the lab before they kill other people trying to do this again.”  
“Chanyeol, in the basement, he's working on it.” Jaehwan replied.   
“But what's so special about the virus?”  
“You're gonna live forever. Like me. Never age, never die.” Jaehwan said with disbelief in his voice. “The fortune teller downstairs was right… what smells so good?”  
“Pancakes. I would have finished them, but something told me to come back here.”  
He finally let go of Hongbin to ask for some.  
“We should call room service and ask for more. Jaehwan said, going to lick the syrup off of his fingers after he finished the pancakes.  
Hongbin grabbed his wrist and stared at the long digits momentarily before licking one clean. And then another and another.   
Jaehwan pounced and licked the last of the syrup off of Hongbin's lips before kissing him softly and pulling away looking shocked.   
“I'm- gonna order another stack of pancakes.” The younger man said.  
“Don't forget whipped cream and syrup… I have ideas for that.” Jaehwan smirked.  
“What makes you think it's gonna happen?” Hongbin stuck his tongue out. Jaehwan said something about showing the proper use for a tongue, but Hakyeon had already picked up.  
“Look who's finally awake and not eating lunch with me.” He said with mock hurt in his voice.   
“Actually we just wanted to order another lumberjack stack of pancakes with all the extras on the side, but if you're gonna be like that, I guess you could watch us feed each other.” Hongbin teased.  
“If you're anything like the former Lee Hongbins, I want none of that, perv.”  
“Please hurry… we're so hungry.” Hongbin chuckled as Jaehwan shouted over him.  
The older man shrieked when Hongbin swatted him on the butt.  
“Holy shit, you can bounce quarters off of that!” Hakyeon heard Hongbin say as he hung up.  
“I bet yours is nicer.” Jaehwan said before rolling the younger man onto his stomach, grabbing each cheek and squeezing.  
Hongbin made a tiny squeak noise when Jaehwan grabbed him, but rolled back a little bit so the older man could do it again.   
“I was right. It is amazing. Kinda makes me wanna-” that thought was cut off by the arrival of food. Jaehwan flew off the bed and opened the door. Taekwoon walked in pushing a fancy looking cart followed by a mildly surprised looking Hakyeon carrying the tray of food they actually ordered.   
"The couple next door ordered a honeymoon breakfast special before breaking up and leaving the hotel in a huff. You guys want it?" Taekwoon asked.  
“Hells yes.” Jaehwan replied happily.   
“And here is your lumberjack stack with all the fixins to the side.” Hakyeon looked like he was about to drop it but legs sprang out from the underside of the tray and snapped into place. “Let's go Woonie” Hakyeon said.  
“I was-”  
“I need to have a conversation with you.” Hakyeon interrupted, “Well a conversation with your dick.”  
“Oh…” Taekwoon suddenly sounded optimistic, “Talk to you later Jannie.” Taekwoon left the cart in the room and ran out, chasing Hakyeon.  
“A conversation with your dick…” Hongbin sounded amused. Jaehwan lifted up the bell on the cart and there were all sorts of finger foods.  
He grabbed a dark chocolate covered strawberry, pulling the leaves off and pressing it to Hongbin's lips.   
Hongbin took a tiny bite before Jaehwan leaned his head in and bit the opposite end.  
He made a pleased noise before trying to steal the strawberry from Hongbin.  
“Pancakes are getting cold…” Hongbin whispered once he had lost the strawberry.   
Jaehwan didn't seem to care. He brought his head back down and licked the chocolate from Hongbin's lips.   
“I'm sure you taste better than the pancakes.” Jaehwan said quietly.  
“That's so cheesy. You're so- ah!” Jaehwan shut him up by sucking the skin on his throat between his teeth while pressing against his crotch with the heel of his palm.   
“May I see if I'm right?” He kissed that spot on Hongbin's neck. “I need to taste you.”  
Jaehwan knew exactly where Hongbin loved being touched. That spot on his throat, he abused with his teeth and soothed with his tongue. That place on his lower back just to the left of his spine. Jaehwan’s hand gravitated there when he went to kiss Hongbin, tracing it with his fingertips, just under the hem of his shirt.  
Hongbin took a deep breath and nodded. Jaehwan slunk down Hongbin's body, pulling the shirt off of him and going back up to go over the skin that had been missed because of the item of clothing.   
“It's only fair… take yours off.” Hongbin tugged at Jaehwan's shirt. “I never saw Ken without a shirt when the lights were on.” Hongbin pouted.  
“I'll show you why.” Jaehwan pulled his shirt over his head. If Hongbin didn't know better he'd say the normally confident man was nervous.   
The shirt came off and Hongbin gasped at the large number of scars crisscrossing his stomach and chest. The older man went to cover back up, but Hongbin threw the shirt across the room. He traced the large one across his stomach before pulling Jaehwan down for a kiss.   
The older man looked like he was trying to explain.   
“Another time.” Hongbin whispered against his lips. Jaehwan grinned and pulled Hongbin so their chests were flush.   
Jaehwan rolled his hips forward, and Hongbin moaned.   
He dropped between Hongbin's legs and tugged at the material of his pajamas, throwing them… somewhere. He nuzzled the skin of Hongbin's inner thigh, occasionally nipping at it, getting closer and closer to his hips. He threw Hongbin's legs over his shoulders and teased at his entrance with his tongue.  
“That's not what I thought you- oh uhnnnn.” He traced the soft skin between his legs finally dropping them and licking his way up to the crown of Hongbin's cock. He darted his tongue in and out of the slit while pressing gently against his entrance with his thumb.   
Hongbin arched with a ragged moan when Jaehwan finally took him all the way down. He bobbed a couple times before humming to get Hongbin's attention.   
“Uhn ah- what.” Jaehwan fluttered his tongue against the vein on the underside. He pointed at the night stand.   
Hongbin reached out, moaning when Jaehwan made an affirmative noise.   
He opened the drawer and felt a few interesting things before finding a small bottle.   
“This?” He showed it to Jaehwan and the older man held out his hand  
Jaehwan nearly choked a moment later when Hongbin bucked up against the two cold fingers slowly pushing into him.  
“Jannie- oh shit, Jaehwan I'm- you're gonna make me come.” Jaehwan chuckled at the desperate noises pouring out of his lover's mouth. He bobbed his head a little faster, pressing a little more insistently at the nerves inside. Hongbin tried to choke out a warning before he came, but it was a garbled mess. Jaehwan saw him start to glow and he bobbed his head faster until he managed to pull one more weak cry from him.   
Hongbin lay boneless as Jaehwan audibly swallowed.   
“You do taste better than the chocolate.” He finally said.  
“You're weird.” Hongbin smiled softly.  
“You'll grow to love it.” Hongbin gasped, shrill and stuttered when Jaehwan once again curled his fingers. He arched, heels dug into the mattress and his hands gripped the pillow by his head as Jaehwan resumed slowly pressing his fingers into him.   
Hongbin probably couldn't stop the stream of noises pouring out of his mouth if he tried. He was bordering on painfully oversensitive by the time Jaehwan added a third finger.  
He sucked gently at the vein on Hongbin's throat, kissing and tasting every inch of skin he could.   
“You have quite the mouth on you.” Jaehwan mused. He added another finger, plucking at a nipple with his lips. If anything, Hongbin got louder.   
“Hyung- please! Please I need-”  
“Shh.” Jaehwan kissed him “Trust me. It's not enough.”  
Hongbin pulled at Jaehwan's waistband, pausing momentarily whenever Jaehwan pushed at his prostate.   
Hongbin stopped tugging at the older man's pants. Jaehwan thought it was because he had given up, but before he could go back to teasing Hongbin, the younger man had bucked his hips up and tried to flip him over. Jaehwan was knocked off balance and fell off the bed, bumping one of the legs of the tray holding the pancakes.   
“Are you o- watch out for the syrup!” Hongbin winced and closed his eyes, missing the fact that the container with syrup in it had missed Jaehwan, bouncing and splashing its contents all over the poor man. Hongbin opened his eyes when Jaehwan made a distressed noise. He looked up in time to see the pancakes fall off the tray with a strange plunk noise.   
Jaehwan sat up with two pancakes on his head. One of which was sliding down his face.  
“Are you ok?” Hongbin asked. Jaehwan pretended to cry.  
Hongbin rolled off the bed and sat next to Jaehwan. He put the two salvageable pancakes on the cart that Taekwoon had rolled in and kissed Jaehwan, effectively shutting him up.  
“These are dirty now.” Hongbin grinned and peeled the syrup soaked pajamas off. “don't move.” He pushed Jaehwan down with two fingers against a syrupy shoulder. He looked at his sticky hand before pressing his fingers to Jaehwan's lips. The older man darted his tongue out, tasting the syrup before licking them clean. Hongbin's eyelids dropped to barely open as he stared at Jaehwan's tongue lapping quickly at his fingers.   
Hongbin took his fingers back and replaced them with his lips. He kissed Jaehwan once more before dragging his tongue across his cheek and cleaning the syrup from his skin.   
“Are you ah- nnh- actually gonna get all of the syrup?” He groaned when Hongbin sucked at the dip in his shoulder.   
Hongbin made quick work of the sticky liquid on his chest, but he had lingered on the spots that made the older man whimper.   
“Kongs~ too much!” Hongbin just licked lower. He looked up to see Jaehwan clutching fistfuls of his own hair.   
Hongbin just chuckled and licked the older man's hip. He stopped his downward movement and just stared.   
“Jaehwan…” Hongbin finally said, “You're fucking huge.”   
“Told you.” He gasped loudly when the other man started to lick him clean. He was expecting it to last longer but he squeaked when Hongbin started to cover him in cold lube. “No! You're gonna hurt yourse- oh Fuck. You're really gonna-” it almost sounded like Jaehwan was trying not to yodel as Hongbin very slowly lowered himself.  
“I can do it…” He lifted back up, leaving only the head inside, “It's just gonna take a little while.” He lowered back down and took a little more in. He rocked on that small bit, repeating until he could take more.   
“Any chance you could slow down a bit?” Jaehwan ground through his teeth.   
“I can do slower.” Hongbin gasped. Slowing down just allowed him to take more a little faster.   
He spread his legs a little farther, tilting his hips back when he got as much of Jaehwan's cock in as he comfortably could, effectively taking more. He held still for a moment, pressed his lips to Jaehwan's and pushed up.   
Eventually their hips met and Hongbin leaned back.  
“Tell me when it's ok to move.” Hongbin slowly stroked himself, biting his lower lip.  
“You can move,” Jaehwan was trying to concentrate on speaking and not how tight Hongbin felt around him, “But I have to warn you… I'm probably going to come in like five seconds.” Hongbin looked disappointed, “On the upside I am multiorgasmic so no telling how long we could go, really.”  
Hongbin smirked evilly before lifting up at an agonizingly slow pace.   
“I hope you won't disappoint me then.” He relaxed the muscles in his legs and dropped hard. They both cried out and Hongbin did it a handful more times before Jaehwan clutched his thighs and held him still. He felt the older man release inside of him before Jaehwan grabbed him by the waist, managed to stand up and throw him on the bed. Both of his ankles were over Jaehwan's left shoulder and his thighs were held together by Jaehwan's left arm. As he rolled his hips, he leaned down to kiss Hongbin, brushing against his prostate in the process.   
Every brush resulted in a louder noise from Hongbin. His voice raised, babbling noises that were trying to sound like Jaehwan's name until it finally cracked.   
“I… might be out of practice,” Jaehwan panted. He grabbed Hongbin by the base of his cock and flicked his wrist as if he knew exactly how the younger man liked it.   
“Hyung, close- Uhn good- so good- just a little- naha!” He moaned long and loud as Jaehwan pushed a little harder and rode out their orgasms, gently rocking until they caught their breaths.  
“Shower… then pancakes…” Jaehwan said before dropping Hongbin's legs and collapsing on top of him.  
They stayed in the hotel for two days, almost never leaving the room until the room’s phone rang.  
Jaehwan left one other time, relatively early one morning and came back with shorter hair. Hongbin wouldn't stop touching it, saying how nice it looked.  
“Hello?” Hongbin mumbled into the phone. The night before had worn them both out. He wasn't sure if he ever wanted marathon sex again. He looked at his lover who was pouting because the space in bed next to him was empty and decided that he'd gladly do it again.  
“Bing bong bango! Hey hey.” The voice on the other end chirped, cutting his thoughts short.  
“Uh… hi?”  
“Is Jannie awake? I need to talk to him.”  
“Lemme poke him.” Hongbin said. Chanyeol listened with a tiny smile as he heard shuffling and mumbling from the other end.  
“...’lo?” Jaehwan finally grumbled into the phone.   
“You two are so cute, Hyung.”  
“Why you wake us up?” He groaned.   
“I was gonna show you the progress I made on the lab, but if sleep is more important than preventing the spread of your virus, I totally understand.”  
“We'll be down in a little bit.”


	12. this thing was twelve chapters long

“So. First thing I did was remove any tags, warnings, what have you that'll have people on your tail.” Jaehwan nodded, “Took the hold off of Hongbin's bank account, so now he has all this untraceable, nontaxable money in his account. Happy Christmas. They won't be able to follow any sort of paper trail on you.”  
“Really? How- No, I'm not gonna ask how. Thank you. Really.” Hongbin babbled.  
“It's what I do… kinda. Also I planted a few viruses and erased most of your information. Just need to make sure there're no hard copies leftover at the actual lab. That's where Jannie comes in.”  
“So… I guess this means we're gonna head back tomorrow while the lab is still in chaos?” Jaehwan said, looking nervously at Hongbin.  
“Yeah,” Hongbin said with a melancholy smile, “Looks like we are.”

They said their goodbyes to everyone at the hotel and promised to see each other again. Hakyeon made sure Hongbin had his number programmed into his phone and planted at least three business cards through his stuff before tearfully waving them off with more food than Hongbin thought they could eat before they got back to his place.  
The farther they got from the hotel, the more the weather returned to a southern Louisiana bayou style climate until they had to roll up their windows and run the air conditioner.  
The first day was relatively quiet. They made it to a motel, checked in and lazily kissed until they fell asleep.  
The next morning, Hongbin stretched and his back cracked and popped. “Nowhere near as comfortable as our room.” He said softly, knowing Jaehwan was awake.  
“You can say that again.” He replied, with a soft tone to his voice.  
They quickly made it back toward Hongbin's house. Jaehwan would break the silence by telling Hongbin stories of when he was younger and the shenanigans he and his brothers would get into.  
“Didn't they have the virus?” Hongbin asked.  
“One of them did…” Jaehwan started with a sad sigh, “That's how I know we can't survive a nuclear bomb. Four hundred years we managed to survive and he had to go to Japan on business…” He pouted softly. “I would make swords, he would sell them. I would have been with him, but I had a large order to fill… I should have told him to stay… He wouldn't have listened. This was an important client. They're both gone now.”  
“Sorry…” Hongbin said softly, squeezing Jaehwan's hand.  
Jaehwan brought Hongbin's hand to his face and kissed the back of it, going back to silently driving.  
That night, Jaehwan actually stopped at a decent hotel. They ordered room service and after they ate, Jaehwan reverently peeled Hongbin's clothes off. He made Hongbin stand by the foot of the bed as he sat and looked with an intense gaze that caused Hongbin to blush to his roots.  
“Why does this feel like you're trying to memorize this in case you never get to see me again?”  
“Shh…” Was the only reply he got before Jaehwan pulled Hongbin a little closer. He dragged his fingertips up the backs of Hongbin's thighs and softly kissed the delicate skin at Hongbin's hip. He kissed along the light dusting of hair below his belly button and slowly stood so he could trace the soft skin of his back. He paused to tease a nipple before switching to the other one. Hongbin looked as if he was draped over Jaehwan's arm and was gasping for air. He clung to his lover's sleeves, trying to right himself and stay on his feet, but Jaehwan kept teasing. He pressed open mouthed kisses to his throat and nipped at his lips while one hand drifted down to tease Hongbin's entrance.  
The younger man groaned something that sounded like ‘It's not fair’ before the older man pressed the tip of his middle finger just past the ring.  
“Please…” Hongbin whined, “Please Jaehwan.”  
“Say my name again…” Jaehwan purred. His voice sounded rough. He pushed against the ring of muscles again.  
“Jaehwan! Please, Jaehwan!” He sobbed.  
“On the bed… Spread for me.” Jaehwan walked to Hongbin's duffel bag and grabbed the lube. “Darling…” Jaehwan started.  
“Hmm?” Hongbin was softly palming the head of his cock.  
“We are almost out of lube.”  
“Then we'll buy some tomorrow. Get over here already.”  
Hongbin spread his legs wider as Jaehwan crawled between them to kiss him sweetly. He quickly pulled his clothes off before kissing the inside of Hongbin's left knee.  
The younger man sighed as Jaehwan pressed a finger into him quickly followed by two three and four, stretching Hongbin until he was a babbling mess.  
“Need you" He finally was able to say, “Jaehwan… need. So bad.”  
Jaehwan used the last of the bottle, covering himself liberally with the slippery liquid.  
“Deep breath.” Jaehwan said before pushing in.  
Hongbin squeezed Jaehwan's waist with his thighs.  
“Slow… please… slower.”  
Instead of pushing farther in, Jaehwan rotated his hips until he could sink a little deeper.  
“Uhn. You're d-doing so well,” Jaehwan groaned. He pulled back so only the head was still inside his lover and very slowly rocked forward. Hongbin wrapped his legs around Jaehwan's waist, trying to pull him deeper, but the elder untangled him and pressed his legs apart again.  
“Too slow…” Hongbin whined.  
“Make up your mind, gorgeous.” Jaehwan growled before pulling him onto his cock the rest of the way and rolling his hips.  
“FUCK!” Hongbin screeched.  
“Soon, love. I think we both need to adjust for a moment.” Hongbin kissed him to shut him up.  
They kissed softly for a short time before Hongbin rolled his hips impatiently… or tried to. Jaehwan was still holding him down.  
Hongbin pressed insistently at Jaehwan's lower back with an open palm and another hand on his ass, trying to get him to move.  
Jaehwan pulled back slowly and snapped his hips forward. He held himself deep inside Hongbin. The younger man half expected him to repeat the action. Instead Jaehwan took a deep breath and started a medium tempo, snapping his hips up at the end of each stroke.  
“Jannie- Jae- Jaehwan- Don't ever stop- Please please oh- oh please- never” Hongbin arched, one hand gripping his own hair and the other trying to find purchase on Jaehwan's sweat slicked back. He continued babbling as Jaehwan pressed his forehead against Hongbin's collarbone.  
“Kongs- oh gods, mm I wanna come with you…” He looked up and saw Hongbin glowing brightly.  
“Please…”  
“Faster-ah- there oh- Fuck. There. Yes-” Jaehwan doubled his efforts and felt Hongbin begin to clench around him.  
“Jae- I'm- Oh- Now!” It was almost hard for Jaehwan to look with how brightly Hongbin was glowing.  
Jaehwan surged forward and swallowed Hongbin's moan with a kiss that was more desperate gasps for air than actual kissing.  
He felt Hongbin release between them and almost immediately Jaehwan followed, rolling his hips to ride out his orgasm.  
Jaehwan kissed Hongbin softly before rolling off to get a wet towel to clean them up a little.  
Hongbin was asleep before Jaehwan came back and hummed softly as the older man gently cleaned the sweat from his skin, occasionally pausing to kiss him.  
Hongbin wrapped his arms around Jaehwan when he stopped moving the towel and it started to cool.  
“Cold… make me warm, love" He murmured, half asleep. Jaehwan threw the towel in the general direction of the bathroom and pulled the covers on top of them.  
“Don't worry, I'll always keep you warm.” He mumbled against Hongbin's temple before kissing the skin and snuggling against his lover.

The next morning, Jaehwan woke to Hongbin nuzzling his throat.  
“Nnh… Kongs… We have to get on the- Oh~~” Hongbin had rolled on top of Jaehwan, finding him mostly hard already.  
“Do we have to?” Hongbin pouted cutely.  
“I wanna say no ah- I really really want to say no.” Hongbin started to kiss down Jaehwan's neck.  
“Then say no…” Hongbin purred.  
Jaehwan was about to open his mouth when the door opened.  
The two men stared at the door, prepared to bolt, regardless of their undressed state.  
The housekeeper shrieked when she saw the two men in bed.  
“I'm so sorry! I should have knocked!”  
As soon as she closed the door behind herself, Hongbin dropped his forehead to Jaehwan's shoulder and started to giggle.  
“Ok. Fine. We'll go.” Hongbin finally said.  
Hongbin pressed a sweet kiss to Jaehwan's lips before climbing off of his lover and grabbing his clothes.  
They checked out and got onto the road again. They pulled in front of Hongbin's building where Chansik ran straight at the car. Hongbin waved, but his best friend and roommate was making a beeline for the driver's side of the car.  
Jaehwan turned the car off just before the door flew open and Chansik pulled him out.  
“Who the hell are you? What happened to the cute guy Bin left with?” He pulled his arm back to punch Jaehwan when Hongbin pulled Jaehwan out of the way.  
“What the Fuck are you doing?” Hongbin shouted.  
“It was all over the news how this guy kidnapped you, did something to your cute boyfriend, and went on a crime spree all across the country. I'm going to beat the shit out of him and then turn him into the authorities.”  
“Chansik!” Hongbin shouted, “Think a minute. Did they show a picture of this guy or say any names?”  
“Er… no?” Hongbin heaved a relieved sigh.  
“How do you know it was us that the report was talking about?”  
Chansik froze for a moment “... I”  
“And stop beating up my boyfriend.” Hongbin grumbled.  
“But this isn't the guy you left with.” Chansik insisted.  
“Think hard and try to tell me what the guy I left with looked like.” Hongbin frowned.  
“I… can't.” He shook his head trying to clear the cobwebs, “But… is that really the same guy?”  
Hongbin glared at his best friend, willing him to understand. Chansik ground his teeth but finally stopped talking.  
“So… it's obvious he doesn't want me here, so I'm gonna get-”  
“You're staying right here until you're fed, have a nap and a shower.” Hongbin interrupted.  
Jaehwan looked around, looked on the ground and back at Hongbin.  
“Right here?” He asked, “Public decency laws aside, it doesn't look comfortable.”  
“Fine, you can come in…” Hongbin sighed, unable to hide his grin.  
Jaehwan grabbed Hongbin's bag from the car and pulled a bag of clothes from the trunk, going up the front steps with Hongbin. A grumbling Chansik was following behind.

“So how is this plan going to go down?” Hongbin asked.  
“I'm going to take a nap, kiss you senseless, kiss you senseless in the shower and then I'll head off to the lab.”  
“W-without me? You got caught last time. You can't do it on your own.” Hongbin insisted.  
“They kidnapped me from my home last time. I stayed in one place for too long.” He sniffed indignantly. He made a sour face before pouting at Hongbin. “Jannie needs a shower.” He said in a cute voice.  
“The Fuck was that?” Chansik looked at the two men in disbelief before Hongbin winked and showed him to the shower.  
“Join me?” Jaehwan asked as Hongbin closed the shower door behind them.  
Jaehwan peeled Hongbin's shirt off before kissing him. The younger man tried not to break the kiss as he reached over to turn on the shower.  
Jaehwan tilted his head back for a breath and to take off his own shirt.  
They eventually managed to undress completely and step under the warm stream of the shower.  
Jaehwan pressed Hongbin against the tile wall and nipped at his chin. He giggled about the sharp gasp from the younger as his heated skin made contact with the cold tiles.  
“I love the sweet little noises you make.” Jaehwan hummed against his skin. They rolled their hips against each other. Hongbin moaned sweetly and Jaehwan groaned deep in his throat.  
“Uhn… Need-oh”  
Jaehwan wrapped his long fingers around both of their cocks and dragged his hand up and down. Hongbin’s fingers slotted between Jaehwan’s in an attempt to speed up his hand.  
Jaehwan pulled Hongbin to him by the back of his neck so he could kiss him like a man starving.  
Their teeth contacted, but that wasn't a deterrent to how desperately they kissed. Hongbin sucked Jaehwan's lower lip between his teeth and bit down enough to get him to cry out.  
“Kongs, ah- Kongs I'm close.”  
Hongbin's only reaction was to squeeze his fingers a little tighter while dragging the nails on his other hand down his lover's back.  
“I-can't Kongs- Hongbin- Fuck I Fuck oh Fuck…”  
He managed to slump to his knees and push Hongbin's hand out of the way. He wasted no time sucking all the way down to the base and bobbing his head.  
“Hnng- you were made for this…” Hongbin whispered softly as he watched Jaehwan's plush lips stretch around him. Jaehwan hummed in the back of his throat, causing Hongbin's orgasm to catch him by surprise.  
Hongbin slumped against the wall, carding his fingers through Jaehwan's hair. His hand slid down the back of Jaehwan's neck and continued down his back as the older man stood.  
“Carry me to bed. I've lost use of my legs.” Hongbin babbled. Jaehwan turned off the water and picked Hongbin up. He kissed Hongbin on the forehead as he carried him to his room.  
“I'm about ready for that nap…” Jaehwan sighed as he tucked the both of them into bed. 

Hongbin sighed and rolled over to reach for Jaehwan. His head popped up when his hand made contact with cold sheets and the crinkle of a sheet of paper.

_Hey Kongs,_ Don't be mad. I let you sleep in. You needed it.  
We'll meet again soon. You know that if anything goes wrong, you'll feel it.   
Until then, stay put. I want you to stay safe. If anything does go wrong, call the hotel.  
Don't go after me. I want you to stay safe. Please.  
Jaehwan  


Hongbin, predictably, got angry. However he did stay put as he was asked. He scoured the news sites and all the news reports for anything involving the lab. That night there was a report of an explosion at a chemical factory. Apparently people insisted the lab was a chemical factory. The next day, all of the news channels reported locals exhibiting flu like symptoms. This was typical. Every time, whether chemicals are released or not, people insist they've been poisoned. This time the explosion triggered a government investigation about ‘Waste dumping’. Hongbin knew it was them covering their asses. For a week, no sign of him. Then two weeks became three. “Why are you always looking that company up online?” Chansik asked, “I know the guy dumped you and all, but you usually bounce back. This isn't like you… you must have fallen hard for that one.” “Mm…” “Come on. Let's go out.” His friend insisted. “I'm fine. I just need to find him…” he said, clicking another link. “No, you're not. Get dressed. We're going to get drunk.” Hongbin knew Chansik would stop at nothing to cheer him up. “Will you leave me alone if I go with you to the club tonight?” Hongbin sighed. “Yep" “Let me take a shower and we'll go. Tell me if my laptop does something.” Hongbin turned to fish out a clean towel from a closet. “Hey Bin… what's a Kongs?” He asked a few minutes later. “Jaehwan's nickname for me...Why?” Chansik pointed at the computer. There was a chat window for a program that he was unfamiliar with open and blinking. 

_[Me] Kongs?_  
[You] I'm here  
[Me] where are you?  
[You] I'm at home. You told me to stay here.  
[Me] pack your things. Get ready to go  
[You] are we running again?  
[Me] I thought we could go back to the hotel again…  
[Me] Join me?  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my eyes are really dry. I'mma take a nap before i put up another story


End file.
